The latest EU deadweight R3 heifer price league table puts the Republic of Ireland in sixth place and 3.5c/kg above the average EU price.

For the week ending November 22, 2015, the average heifer price in the Republic was 395.1c/kg.

According to the LMC, this is up 1.4c/kg from the 393.7c/kg paid in the week ending October 25, 2015.

This latest price for the Republic placed it 61.4c/kg lower than the equivalent price in Northern Ireland.

Looking to the North, for the week ending November 22, the average R3 heifer price was the equivalent of 456.5c/kg, up 17.0c/kg from 439.5/kg in the week ending October 25, 2015.

The Northern Irish R3 heifer price was 64.9c/kg higher than the EU average in the week ending November 22, 2015 compared to 47.1c/kg in the week ending October 25.

Northern Ireland retains its second place spot on the EU deadweight league table.

Britain continues to hold the top spot on the heifer price league table. For the week ending November 22, the average R3 heifer price in Britain was the equivalent of 500.0c/kg.

This was an increase of 19.5c/kg compared to week ending October 25, when it was the equivalent of 480.5c/kg.

The increase in British R3 heifer price resulted in the British/EU price differential widening from 88.1/kg in the week ending October 25 to 108.4c/kg in the week ending November 22.

heifer price table

Image: LMC

Beef kill is back by 79,000 head on 2014 levels – Weekly kill rises by 3%

The total number of beef cattle slaughtered at beef export plants last week was back 5% on the corresponding period last year, figures from the Department of Agriculture show.

The national beef for the week beginning November 23, 2015 stood at 1.45m head.

Total heifer throughput at the factories is back 4% on the corresponding week last year with total throughput this year standing at 382,211.

Looking at steer throughput, 590,975 head were slaughtered for the week beginning November 23, 2015. This up 4% on 2014 levels.

Throughput of young bulls to export plants is back 22% on the corresponding period in 2014. The is a drop of 38,219 head.

The Department of Agriculture figures show that there’s been an 11% drop in the number of cows going to the factory on 2014 levels.